Abnormal Mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation of Ischaemic and Reperfused Myocardium Reversed by L-Propionyl-Carnitine

In the experimental animal, L-propionyl-carnitine, one of the most potent analogues of carnitine (1,2,3) exert a cardioprotective action on ischaemic and reperfused myocardium (4,5,6,7). Despite considerable efforts to find explanation for these beneficial effects, a commonly accepted basic mechanism is still lacking. Recently it has been suggested that L-propionyl-carnitine protects the ischaemic myocardium by improving mitochondrial function (7,8,9). We now describe the effect of L-propionyl-carnitine on the deterioration on mitochondrial function caused by ischaemia and reperfusion in the isolated rabbit hearts. L-propionyl-carnitine was used at the concentration of 10-7 M, as it has been shown to be an optimal dose for cardioprotection (9). Some of the present data have been published (6,9).